Part 3

In my last column I wrote about steelhead fishing when the water is rising.  This trip let’s look at a totally different situation.

If water that's coming up and getting dirty is the worst time for winter steelhead fishing, what are the best water conditions?  It's just the opposite and it's something you want to be aware of whenever you’re after those hard fighting sea run rainbow.

"The ideal time for steelhead is when the water is dropping and clearing,” one of the region’s top guides told me once.  "I like at least three feet of visibility.  That doesn't mean you can't have good fishing with less.  What is really important is how many fish are around."

Knowing how steelhead react to different water conditions is one of the keys to successful steelhead fishing.

That long time guide also made another point that even experienced steelheaders sometimes forget.  "How well you can expect to do when the water starts dropping," he said, "depends on how long the freshet has lasted.  If the rain has been heavy and the river has been high for an extended period, you can bet the fish moved right on through and into the tributaries.  If that's the situation, you probably won't get many fish even though you're there when a stream starts to clear and drop."

This same guide said the ideal situation is to have the river come up fast and drop just as quickly.  That way if fish have moved in they will still be there when the water starts down.  "Two days up and one day down is ideal," he said.

Something else you need to keep in mind is that the lures you use can play a major role in steelhead fishing where water conditions are a factor.  Certain Mack’s Lure products are among them.  I’ll have more details on that before I wind up this series on steelhead fishing.

Unless I miss my guess you’re going to see a lot more emphasis on both steelhead and salmon now that Bobby Loomis is in a leadership role with the Mack’s Lure team.  The guy knows his river fishing.   Again---you’ll be hearing more about that in future columns.

Don’t overlook the importance of having a good pair of polarized glasses for your steelheading.  I’ve had more than one guide tell me they attempt to impress their clients with how important it is for them to be able to see into the water.  I recall one guide who told me he put polarized glasses right up there with his rod and reel in importance.

Southwest Washington, the area where I hung my fishing hat most of my adult life, is smack in the middle of some of the Pacific Northwest's finest steelhead fishing.  It's not hard to find to find guides there who are on the water almost daily. 

I remember one such man who ran a store and guide service not far from the Cowlitz River dams.  He had established a deserved reputation as a cracking good steelhead catcher.

"When you set out to figure a river," this guide told me, "always pay special attention to where the boulders and rocks are located.  But don't, as many fishermen do, fish only behind such cover.  Though few realize it, you'll actually catch more fish in front of a boulder than behind it."

What happens, he said, is that water piles up in front of a big boulder and creates a dead spot.  Fish can rest there and often do.  This guide also advised newcomers to steelheading to always note what the current is doing because fish change locations in a river as the current varies.  "Fish don't quit biting," he said, "they just move.  If you're going to catch very many you have to move with them."

A knowledge of where steelhead were most likely to be holding in the drift I was fishing helped me take this dandy fish.

I've detailed how a veteran guide operated in high water.  Now let’s talk about how another expert tackles a low water situation.   "The first requirement for low, clear water," another guide told me, "is to use light tackle.  I often go as light as 6-pound test line.  My sinkers are ¼-ounce or less.

“I look for slow water alongside fast water.  If there's a bit of a drop off, that’s all the better.  Always remember steelhead usually hold in water where they have the least resistance from the current."

This same expert also had sound advice for the steelheader once he does find an area that he knows has fish.  This is especially important when the water is low and clear.  "Steelhead have birds feeding on them when they are young and on their way to the sea," he said, "then there are seals and sea lions trying to eat them when they return as adults.  No wonder they get spooky. 

“You simply can't run a drift boat or a jet sled through a hole with the motor roaring and expect to begin catching fish.  Make a racket and it will take at least 45 minutes for the fish to calm down enough so they will bite.  When you hook a fish the first time through a hole, you know your approach has been as quiet as it should be."

Careful fishing is a requirement whether you’re fishing from bank or boat.  I recall once going out with a fish biologist who loved steelhead fishing as much as I did.  When the river was low and clear he always sneaked up to a drift, sometimes on hands and knees, to see if he could spot where fish were holding before he made his first cast.

In my next column I’ll share some additional thoughts on successful steelhead fishing. 

-To Be Continued-